I kind of wish I'd read book 1 & 2 before cracking this one, but I do think this one is okay on its own.

I do like the small town of Mistletoe. They seem to have some really cute events around the holidays and I liked the reindeer games and the inn. But I didn't love the MC. I do love that it's a Christmas based murder mystery - I don't think we have enough of those - but I don't know if, as a cozy mystery, this one really stands out. The twist were a bit out there and the story felt a bit dated even though it's release date was 2021. Cute little cozy holiday mystery.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This book was an arc received via NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I listened to this in the audio version narrated by Allyson Ryan. I don’t think I could have listened to this at regular speed with this narrator. I did enjoy her at x2 speed though.

This is book three of the Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries. All of these are Christmas centered! If your like me that will make you want to pick up all of them in the series to read over the Christmas season. However, if you can only pick up one of these books, like I did, you shouldn’t have a problem following along with the story. I read this one as a stand alone and didn’t have any issues. Although, if I have time this season I am going to read them all.

I did enjoy this book. I love books set in cozy little towns that all work together to help one another out. The Christmas season is really felt in this one. You have everyone pitching in to help gather gifts for those in need. The bags that they use are large red Santa bags. Once the bag is full they call to have the gifts inside picked up. Nothing like I’ve every seen in stores. I think I would much prefer the lovely Santa bag than those big brown box I usually see around this time of year. Sometimes, I might even see one with gift wrap around it, usually poorly done.

This little slice of heaven has one problem… someone ends up dead and the prime suspect is someone Holly knows and loves. How can this be happening again and why does it always seem to happen that someone she knows and cares for is the prime suspect. Holly sets out, against her boyfriends advice, to find out who murdered the dead woman before her beloved friend finds herself in jail for Christmas.

On top of everything, the murder happened at Holly’s B&B and with that, she is not experiencing everyone leave and cancelations. Will this murder put her out of business?

This is such a cute story that I absolutely loved. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy Christmas mystery this season. Holly is a bit on the annoying side at times but she means well.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Holly White is at it again - it's Christmas season in Mistletoe, Maine and the first year her new inn is open. Between her responsibilities there, helping at Reindeer Games (her family farm), and her jewelry making business, she has enough on her plate, but when her best friend, Cookie, is accused of killing a hateful reviewer who was hellbent on giving not just the inn, but the entire town, a bad review, she can't help but start investigating.

I really like this series - the characters are all fun and engaging, the town sounds adorable (and a little like my small town), and the one who is murdered is usually unlikable, but I do wish she would give her boyfriend (and county sheriff) a little more credit in doing his job.

This is the third entry in the Christmas Tree Farm series; I generally prefer to read series in order, but these are all priced beyond my budget, so here we are. As far as I know, this is also my introduction to the author’s work (she writes under a number of pseudonyms).

The series is set in a small town that can only exist in a cozy mystery series, with an almost-thirty year old heroine who thinks and behaves like someone at least a dozen years younger; in a different context, Holly would be a manic pixie dream girl. (I should have read the blurb more carefully, so that's on me.)

The novel is narrated in first person, past tense, by one Holly White, and it’s set in a small town that is so wholly Christmas-themed, it actually has a shop that sells nothing but “homemade gourmet” gumdrops. A physical location, mind you, imaginatively called The Gumdrop Shop (rent? operating costs? not a factor in this universe), and one of the series’ recurring characters is nicknamed Cookie solely because her married name is Cutter.

::ahem::

But wait!

Cookie is also our officially-over-the-top character who, among other peculiarities, she could be anywhere between forty to eighty years old, always carries a thermos of tea that’s mostly alcohol (even when she’s driving!), and lives with a goat that she treats mostly like a person.

Mind you, the rest of the people in town aren’t necessarily regular folk–at least not when seen through Holly’s narration–but more on this below.

The first couple of chapters are crammed with series backstory, two full novels worth, and written in a sort of staccato narrative, with scenes and paragraphs that feel wholly disconnected from each other, so that I was both mildly confused and not particularly invested on any the characters as I read.

“The view was so enchanting, so delightful and wholesome, I wondered again how a killer could live here. And I hated that they weren’t the first.” (Chapter 4)

The setting is absurdity itself, the über cozy mystery fantasy small town: all the stores are Christmas themed, and people mostly eat candy and dessert for every meal, with the occasional pizza thrown in. It is a small town, as we are told repeatedly, but there’s a PR-obsessed (and wealthy) mayor who has a press secretary and a publicist, and enough lawyers that one of the minor characters is “one of the most powerful attorneys in town”. Also, white–so white–and I don’t mean the snow.

When the body is found, all physical and quite a bit of circumstantial evidence point at Cookie, and Holly mostly feels resentful because a) the main suspect is “like a second mother” to her, and b) this is the third murder in as many Christmases involving either her or her family and friends as suspects.

What’s a jewelry-making innkeeper who’s dating the big-city-homicide-detective-turned-small-town-sheriff to do, but investigate the murder herself. Trust the professional you are dating? Please. No matter who begs her to leave well enough alone–the boyfriend, her parents–because the last two times she decided that only she could find out the truth, she ended hospitalized, Holly just *knows* that without her, Cookie will end up in jail.

Throughout the book, Holly oscillates between a sensible person who’s learned from the two previous murder cases–calling boyfriend Evan when anything threatening or suspicious happens–and a very immature and spoiled young person with poor self-control and an inflated sense of her own intelligence and abilities.

I found it very jarring that some of the other characters are reasonable and somewhat realistic (or at least consistent with their trope), which we learn from Holly’s own narration, even as she flies off the handle.

For example, she knows that Evan is not supposed to share what he finds out with her, not only because he’s the sheriff, but because she’s so tight with the main suspect, per the physical evidence. Despite that, she gets angry when he doesn’t tell her everything he knows, and angrier yet that he expects her to tell him everything she knows. The fact that he’s a cop and she’s not matters not a whit to Holly; over and over she makes a conscious decision to withhold facts she’s learned, and in at least one instance, actual evidence, “until she had time to think about it.”

Or the time when Holly narrates that Evan “said softly” something she didn’t want to hear, so she continues her internal dialogue with “he was rude and yelling”–in the same paragraph. And when he, very reasonably and calmly, points out that she’s worrying everyone who loves her, “her heart pounds and she feels her fury rising”.

Like. What?

But then, some of the writing is frankly tortured:

“I shook my twenty-eight-year-old head” (Chapter 4, after someone implied that Holly is thirty)
“I hated that so many people were willing to believe that Cookie had finally gone around the bend and that locals were looking at the evidence instead of into their hearts.” (Chapter 5)
“I was thankful I wouldn’t have to wait to intrude on Libby. I was eager to check in on how she was processing her options for testifying against a criminally connected lunatic.” (Chapter 16)
“She batted her eyes, fighting to keep the tears at bay.” (Chapter 20)

As for the mystery, this is another amateur sleuth who does not solve the case; Holly just manages to put herself in the murderer’s sights through her bumbling about. Plus that plotline is overshadowed by some repetition, the red herrings, a number of wholly unrelated subplots–from Evan’s sister’s backstory to the gift drive to the wedding of a friend’s mother to Holly’s jewelry–and her constant juvenile musings about her feelings for him.

Speaking of which, it makes my eye twitch to have Holly think of Evan as “cop first, friend second”, waiting until literally the last minute to see if he would invite her to attend the wedding as his date, implying theirs if a pretty superficial relationship, then ending the book with a marriage proposal

I have the next book of the series in the ARC TBR cordillera of doom, but I’m in no hurry to read it, to be honest.

Slashing through the Snow gets 6.00 out of 10

Dollycas's Thoughts

There is now a B&B at the Reindeer Games Christmas Tree Farm in Mistletoe, Maine and Holly White is so excited to be an innkeeper. She is also in charge of wrapping all the presents for the town's toy drive. But she is really focused on the B&B critic who has just checked in.  A good review could put the B&B on the map. A bad review could hurt their chance of keeping the rooms filled. But a dead body could have the guests leaving in droves never to return. A dead B&B critic . . . well at least she won't be reviewing the place.

There are plenty of suspects but it is Cookie's fingerprints on the murder weapon, a metal nutcracker that she just gave Holly. Holly gathers all her friends together to try to crack the case to save her inn, Cookie, and Christmas.

_____

Dashing through the snow . . . oh, I mean Slashing Through the Snow with a Grinch named Karen. What fun!

I just love the setting of this series, Mistletoe, Maine, the Reindeer Games Tree Farm, and now the White family has added a B&B. A wonderful place to spend the holidays.  There is always something happening. The author really brings the place to life with her descriptive style.

Holly has taken on the B&B with her mother handling any food involved. The local toy drive has become a massive event which means a heck of a lot of wrapping. I love the ways everyone comes together to get that done. Even Holly's boyfriend, Sherrif Evan Gray squeezes in a little time to help.

Everyone also gets involved to try to figure out who whacked critic Karen over the head with Holly's new Nutcracker. I really enjoyed the way Ms. Frost plotted out this story twisting the mystery with all the other things happening. Christmas games, including a Snowball Roll, a toy drive, a Christmas wedding along with regular everyday events all kept the pages turning and gave plenty of time for Holly to do a little sleuthing.  She tried so hard to crack the case, and just when she was about to give up, she found herself right in the middle of an exciting showdown. I swear the blustery winds and the icy snow sent an actual shiver down my spine. The fighting, the chase, the cold, the screams, had me right on the edge of my seat.

While I really enjoyed the entire book, my favorite part was the very last chapter. Mistletoe is a very special place and it was never shown more clearly in the last few pages of this story.

Slashing Through the Snow is a delightful story full of Christmas cheer, charming characters, and a captivating cozy mystery, sprinkled with humor and a little bit of romance. A very entertaining holiday read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my copy of Slashing Through the Snow by Jacqueline Frost in exchange for an honest review. It published October 12, 2021.
Although this is the third book in the series, I think you could pick this up, (like I did), and have a wonderful time. I got to celebrate Christmas in July with this book, and it totally put me in the Christmas spirit! I will say, I did not see the killer ahead of time, which is just how I like my cozies!

Fun read, a little slower than other books of the series. I gave up the read a few times because of this.

Slashing Through the Snow is the 3rd installment of Jacqueline Frost's (Julie Anne Lindsey) Christmas Tree Farm Mysteries and it was just as good, if not better, than the first two!

The story starts when a hotel critic, known for her scathing and business-harming reviews checks into Holly's B&B. Naturally she ends up as the murder victim, but Cookie ends up on the sheriff department's microscope as the prime suspect.

When Holly starts sniffing around, scary antics ensue when she and others end up on the receiving end of the true culprit's wratch.

Side notes:

* Cozy mystery pet peeve of mine is the sense of entitlement that all amateur sleuths believe they have when it comes to details of the homicide investigation. Though not as annoying as many cozies, there was still a bit of it here. It's as if the amateur sleuths (aka the main character doesn't ever trust the sheriff / detective to do their job. GAH!) This was not as bad, but I'm always in tune to that.

* I loved reading about the various reindeer games that were held throughout the book. I love Frost's imagination and ability to make every story a lot of fun to read.

* OMG the final scene was so swoonworthy!

I can't wait to read the 4th book in this series, Stalking Around the Christmas Tree, due out in October this year!

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed this one the plot kept me interested until the end which is not easy, and the characters were engaging and believable. I highly recommend this book.

The murder mystery was very intriguing. I didn't know who the killer was. I liked what happened at the end of the book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

"Slashing Through the Snow" by Jacqueline Frost brings a touch of holiday magic to the classic murder mystery genre. Set at the Reindeer Games Christmas Tree Farm, where the new B&B is about to open, the story follows innkeeper Holly White as she navigates the challenges of the holiday season. Little does she know, things are about to get even more complicated with the arrival of the notorious B&B critic, Cleo.

When Cleo turns up dead, the suspicion falls on local resident Cookie, whose fingerprints are all over the murder weapon. But with a long list of suspects who had motives to harm Cleo, including Evan's reporter friend Ray, the inn's former contractor Christopher, and confectioner Bonnie, it's up to Holly and her friends to clear Cookie's name and solve the crime.

As they work to piece together the clues, Holly and her friends gather at The Hearth café, fueled by holiday treats baked by Holly's mother. With its charming setting, memorable characters, and a touch of festive spirit, "Slashing Through the Snow" is a delightful winter read that will warm your heart and keep you on the edge of your seat.

This one was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I tried to keep up with this series but it isn't my favorite. I do not enjoy the writing style. I am thankful to have had a book in the series, but I will not be continuing.

This book was just okay to me, which really made me sad because I was really looking forward to reading another book in this series after being afraid there might not even be another book.

I'm not even sure what all bothered me about this book. I just wasn't feeling it and didn't feel invested in the story. One thing that did stick out to me though was the fact that Holly felt so different. She didn't even feel like the same character at times.

I did enjoy the end of the story with her and Evan. That was really sweet and made me tear up a little. I do hope there will be another book in this series at some point.

This is such a good Christmas time series. The family and friends relationships are amazing. I can't wait to read more from this series.

The mystery was just ok and having all the clues laid out without a !it of red herrings made it easy for me to solve the mystery before I was halfway through the book. Some of the plot lines seemed like they were thrown j at the last minute to make the book a little longer, they didn't really add anything to thebook.

I received a reviewer copy of Slashing Through the Snow by Jacqueline Frost from the publisher Crooked Lane from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: We are back in the magical Reindeer Games Christmas Tree farm in Mistletoe, Maine. And our favorite amateur sleuth Holly White. When a tough B&B reviewer ends up dead and the delightful Cookie is on the suspect list, Holly is back to her detective series.

I love this small cozy series set in Maine, the characters are so likeable and I feel like I am back in Maine. I really love the idea of Christmas in Maine. It is really incredible and fun. I don't know if this was my favorite of the series, but I still loved escaping into this series.

A solid third novel, now give me number four! This series is perfect for the holidays!

This book in the third in the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series and it's the best yet! The setting is unique and the characters are utterly engaging. The best part is that every book involves some Christmas magic so if you are a fan of holiday cozy mysteries you can't go wrong with this one. I am eagerly awaiting the next book.

Holly and her family own a Christmas Tree Farm called Reindeer Games. Holly runs the Inn where Karen, a well-known critic, and writer for a New England Magazine with a nasty personality is staying. One day, Karen is found on the porch of the Inn with a head trauma caused by a metal Christmas nutcracker given to Karen by her friend, Cookie. Cookie becomes the main suspect since her fingerprints are all over the nutcracker. Holly is determined to prove that Cookie is innocent.

This is a charming Christmas mystery with the perfect romantic ending! The characters are full of charm and the writing is superb. It is everything a cozy mystery should be, including the perfect setting for a Christmas story. I would highly recommend this book to cozy mystery fans!

Slashing through the Snow by Jacqueline Frost is the third book in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. Holly is excited to be the innkeeper at the Christmas tree farm and is hard at work with some helpers wrapping gifts for the toy drive. She also welcomes B&B critic Karen to the inn with hopes of a good review. Unfortunately Karen is true to her name with cranky added as a descriptor. When she is found dead by way of a nutcracker Holly gave to her friend Cookie, it is up to Holly to hep save Christmas and her inn's reputation. The setting was wonderful, but some of the side stories were a bit distracting. Overall it was a nice addition to the series and a great Christmas themed read.